(1)
The closer it got to the end of the third year, the more test papers there were.
So many that it was almost impossible to finish them all.
In fact, after many test papers were handed out, students only completed a portion of the questions, and the remaining ones wouldn’t even be discussed.
Test papers filled the drawers one after another and piled up high on the desks, looking just like little mountains.
If someone forgot to press their papers down with a book, a gust of wind from the window would send a flurry of test papers flying all over the classroom with a rustling sound.
During lunch break, except for Fang Qiang and a few other boys who still went to play basketball, most students stayed in the classroom.
Not that everyone was studying or doing homework—sometimes it was just better to chat in the classroom than waste energy out on the playground.
Studying was a physically exhausting thing too.
Although it wasn’t raining outside anymore, the sun didn’t come out either.
Still, the gray sky didn’t feel oppressive. In fact, looking at those gray clouds stretching across the sky gave a strangely refreshing feeling.
An Jing lay quietly by the window at the back row of the classroom—this classroom didn’t have a blackboard at the back, just windows overlooking the playground.
Even on such a gloomy day, the light was still good.
Many classmates were also sitting nearby, some having moved their chairs, others like her leaning or standing, chatting idly with friends.
This scenic back window had become everyone’s spot for relaxing their minds.
“Your dark circles look pretty bad, you know.”
“Sigh, I’ve been having insomnia lately.”
“How come?”
“Didn’t fall asleep until midnight.”
“What, you call that insomnia?”
“I get up early in the morning, too!”
“Is the study pressure too much?”
“I don’t know, maybe? Maybe it’s just worrying about the Zhong Kao. I think the Zhong Kao is even scarier than the Gao Kao.”
“Nonsense.”
“Look, with the Zhong Kao, you have to get into a high school. But for the Gao Kao, not necessarily—there are so many universities in the country, there’s always one you can get into, and if not, you can still go to Da Zhuan.”
“I haven’t been sleeping well lately either. I keep having nightmares at night—like failing the Zhong Kao and having to go out and work.”
“Can’t you just go to Zhi Gao or Ji Xiao for that?”
“The technical schools here are all called Zhi Yuan, aren’t they?”
“Hehe, Zhi Yuan, hehe…”
The conversation always went off topic without anyone noticing.
Not just here—on the other side, a group that was discussing physics suddenly erupted in wicked laughter when someone mentioned ‘external cause and internal cause.’
Most people were just a bit stressed, but some had really become dispirited.
For example, the Wei Sheng Wei Yuan of the class.
At the moment, she was sighing and chatting with Zhang Qiqi about her mood lately.
“Feels like society is so bleak. I’ve read a few news articles recently, and all the solutions in the end were half-hearted…”
“Pfft, hasn’t it always been like that?”
“I never thought society was this dark before.”
“It’s always been this way. You just know it now. Besides, it’s not all bad, right?”
“Now… I don’t even dare to enter society. If I don’t do well in the exams, I’ll have to go to one of those messy Zhi Gao, then after graduation I’ll have to get a job, and that scares me.”
“Don’t worry so much.”
“This world is so dark, so filthy—even your own parents…”
She bit her lip lightly.
“Sometimes I don’t even know how to go on, the future just feels hopeless…” “Pfft…haha, it’s not that bad, right?”
“Really, Qiqi, I mean it… I just don’t have the motivation to study anymore.”
“Uh…”
Zhang Qiqi’s expression turned a bit serious.
She furrowed her brow, thinking how to comfort this girl who’d gotten herself all twisted up in knots.
“What are you fretting about?”
“Ms. Ye, hello…”
“No need to be so stiff.”
The approachable Wen Ye patted Zhou Chao’s back beside her, and at his confused look, pointed to his seat and then at herself, “Move, move, let me sit for a bit.”
“Seriously…”
“What, you got a problem?”
“No, nothing…”
Zhou Chao helplessly spread his hands and lazily stood by the window, while Zhang Qiqi rested her elbow directly on his shoulder, making him wince with a grimace.
“What’s the matter?”
Wen Ye smiled gently and looked at the Wei Sheng Wei Yuan, whose thick bangs hid her acne.
“Just seeing a bit of reality’s darkness and now you think all of reality is dark?”
“I… I’m not…”
“Actually, you do feel that way, don’t you? But you don’t need to get stuck in a rut. Even if reality is like that sometimes, seeing it is a good thing.”
Wen Ye draped one hand over the chair, smiling easily.
“If you never see it and keep living in fake happiness, isn’t that even sadder?”
“But if reality is like this, what’s the point of living?”
Wen Ye’s eyes fell on hers, and she patted Zhou Chao’s backside, motioning him to move over: “Don’t stick your big butt at me.”
“How is it big?”
“Big butt,” Zhang Qiqi teased, squeezing her eyes playfully.
“Come on.”
Wen Ye waved at the Wei Sheng Wei Yuan, and before she could react, Wen Ye pulled her into an embrace and sat her on her lap.
“Letting you see the real world isn’t to make you give up or fall. It’s so that, once you sweep aside the lies, you can plant your feet on the ground—no matter how beautiful the illusion, the real world is still better.”
“Mm.”
“Do you know? Fake happiness is even crueler than real cruelty.”
“Mmm… Teacher smells so nice…”
“Hey, hey! Are you listening to what I’m saying?”
“Eh, huh?!”
“All right, all right. Anyway, don’t get stuck on one thought. Life is never as good as you think, but it’s never as—bad as you think, either.”
After being released from Wen Ye’s embrace, the Wei Sheng Wei Yuan had barely taken two steps before a group of girls surrounded her, all excitedly asking about what Wen Ye’s scent was like.
–Everyone was curious what kind of fragrance it actually was.
“Is it perfume?”
“No, I don’t think so… it feels really natural.”
“So what exactly is it like?”
“Hard to say, just smells floral, but I can’t tell what flower.”
“If you’re so curious, go smell her yourself.”
“Whoa, wouldn’t that be a bit pervy…”
“What’s the problem for girls?”
An Jing even thought Wen Ye was a bit too approachable—she satisfied all the girls’ little curiosities in one go.
“Anyone else want a hug? Xiao An Jing, do you want one?”
“She doesn’t need one!”
Zhu Ying answered swiftly.
“Ms. Ye, can I have a hug?” Zhou Chao joked.
“Boys, go play somewhere else!”
“Come on, boys want hugs too! It has to be fair!”
Someone yelled out.
“Yeah, me too!”
“If the Geography Teacher comes, you can hug him.”
“Who’d want to hug a bald old man!”
“Yeah!!”
“What’s it like?”
An Jing finally couldn’t help asking Wang Xinru, who was next to her—she hadn’t been eager, but Wen Ye had hugged her just now.
“Why don’t you ask me?”
Zhu Ying’s eyes widened.
“I’m afraid you’d get mad…”
“Now I’m even madder!”
“It smells like Zhi Zi Hua,” Wang Xinru answered honestly.
“It’s probably still perfume… just a fancier kind.”
“Maybe she has a bunch of Zhi Zi Hua at home and picked up the scent?”
“Mm… that could be it.”
“Xiao Jing, what do I smell like?”
Zhu Ying was eager to pull the topic back to herself.
“Ah… well… probably…”
An Jing was a little embarrassed.
“Milky?”
“How could it be that!”
“What’s wrong with that…?”
“Sounds like a little kid.”
“…Aren’t you a little kid?”
“I’m older than you!”
Zhu Ying tapped her own forehead.
“Mentally!”
“Tch…”
An Jing lowered her voice and muttered, “Wait till I get all my memories back…”
***
(2)
The Geography Teacher was a balding middle-aged man whose slow and steady speech always made people drowsy.
The stacks of test papers piled up like mountains were the perfect cover, letting everyone rest their heads on the desk and sleep in peace.
Of course, that was just the students thinking their cover was perfect.
In reality, standing at the podium, he could see everyone’s situation clearly.
He just didn’t care, because old teachers like him were too lazy to bother.
Anyway, although geography counted toward the Zhong Kao’s total score, it wasn’t tested at the same time as the Zhong Kao.
In a few days, there would be a geography and politics exam—word was it would even be open book. With such an unserious-sounding test, it was hard for anyone to really care.
Some schools finished the geography exams in the second semester of second year or the first semester of third year.
But Xiao Cheng No. 2 Middle didn’t schedule geography in second year, so it had to be done in third year, half a year later than everyone else.
These secondary subjects always seemed to be arranged so casually.
“Ah, so then, as we know, hills…”
“Ding-ling-ling—”
The urgent end-of-class bell rang out, like an alarm clock waking everyone from their dreams.
Sun Wei, who sat beside Wang Xinru, stretched in a big yawn.
Apparently, he’d had a good nap this period.
The balding Geography Teacher took his time tidying up his teaching materials, swallowed back the last bit of the lesson he was about to say, and casually said, “Class is over now,” before slowly walking out of the classroom.
As soon as class ended, the classroom became noisy.
Someone’s stack of books and papers was knocked over, and the sounds of things crashing and people arguing filled the air.
An Jing patted her head and turned to look at Zhu Ying, who was yawning sleepily beside her.
“Just one more period and we’re done for the day. Fridays go by so fast.”
“Yeah, if only every day was Friday.”
“If every day were Friday, you wouldn’t think it was special anymore, right?”
“Does everything need a comparison?”
“Just like good and bad in real life.”
“You’re even making analogies now?”
Zhu Ying smiled, pressing her lips together and rubbing An Jing’s head.
“Want to go to the bathroom?”
“…Uh, I’ll pass, or else I’ll have to change again…”
“It’s almost over, right?”
“Should be over by the weekend…”
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